Happy Feet: A New Dance-Chapter 4
Katie stood in absolute boredom with her classmates as Ms. Lily taught them a new song to sing. Her feet felt restless, and eager to dance once more. Now I know how Joshua feels, she thought. For the past week or so, she's been meeting up with Josh at the top of the cliff to dance with him. Only after school, and days off were practically the only times they could do so unless their parents were around. On average, they've only met three times over the week, keeping these dances secret. "Katie, what's wrong?" Taylor's voice nearly made Katie jump out of her fluff. She had been so busy spacing out that she had forgotten that her friend was standing right beside her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired," Katie lied quickly. Taylor gave her a suspicious look, tilting her head just a bit. "Tired?" she questioned. "That's not like you Katie. Seriously, what's wrong?" That was another thing that Katie had been thinking about: Should she tell Taylor about her, and Joshua's dances? She had never questioned his strange ways, and never made fun of him. Neither did Mike, and his group, probably because they're rebels too, still sharing a Heartsong, and refusing to find their own. Or Adam, for that matter. Katie didn't know Adam that well, but Taylor was friends with him, so maybe- "Katie!" Ms. Lily snapped. "Pay attention!" Katie looked up at the teacher. "Yes ma'am," she mumble, but drifted off into her thoughts again. Finally, just as Katie thought they would never stop singing the same song over, and over, and over again, they were dismissed. Immediately, Katie waddled over to Josh, who was still waiting at the back of the class. He smiled as Katie approached. For a moment, Katie was about to jump right into meeting him at the cliff, but then, an idea came into her head. "Josh, go ahead to the cliff. I'll meet you there." Josh looked surprised. "Oh, okay," he said, hesitantly making his way to the cliff. "I just have to do something real quick," Katie called over her shoulder as she headed in the opposite direction. She had seen Taylor going this way, and needed to tell her what was going on... or rather show her what was going on. "Taylor! Taylor!" Katie exclaimed as she spotted her friend before she disappeared into the cluster of penguins. Taylor spun around to face her friend. "What is it?" she asked as Katie came to a halt in front of her. "I wanna show you something!" Katie exclaimed. "C'mon!" Without waiting, Katie spun around, and started to make her way to the cliff. After a few steps, she realized that Taylor wasn't following. Turning around, she saw Taylor standing there with her head tilted to the side, and her eyes bright with confusion. "What is it?" Taylor asked. Katie groaned. "It's hard to explain. Just come on!" She stood there until Taylor finally decided to join her, and follow her to the cliff on the far side of the icy valley. Katie couldn't see Joshua, and hoped that he was already up there waiting for them. I hope he's fine with me bringing Taylor, she thought. It's just been her, and Josh for the past few days, and nearly everybody has forgotten about his strange shuffling in the snow since he learned how to control himself around other penguins. That is until someone starts singing. "Come on!" Katie exclaimed as she began to climb the trail up to the top of the icy wall. Taylor stood on the bottom of the cliff, but didn't say anything, and began to climb. Katie thanked the Great Guin that the trail wasn't too thin. Otherwise, she would think that it was suicide to come up here. We'll have to find a new place soon, though, she realized, knowing that one day, they would be as big as the other penguins around them. As Katie neared the top of the cliff, her heart beat a little faster as she heard the familiar t-t-tap t-t-tap tap shshshsh above her head. Leaping up, she landed at the top of the cliff, and exclaimed, "Hi, Josh!" Josh, who was standing a little ways away so that he wouldn't be seen, spun around, and ceased his dancing. The smile on his face quickly disappeared as Taylor appeared beside Katie, looking just as confused as Joshua. After an awkward moment of silence, Taylor finally asked, "What's going on?" Katie motioned her way from the cliff. "Come on. We don't wanna get spotted," she said. "But what's going on?" Taylor asked again as she, and Katie joined Joshua. Katie's excitement was ready to spill over, but she managed to control herself. "Taylor, we've got something to show you," she said finally. Josh and Taylor looked at her; Josh looked at her as if she was crazy, and Taylor in even more confusion. "Well, what is it?" she asked, her voice growing tight with impatience. Katie turned to Josh. "Show her," she whispered. "Show me what?" Questions kept on pouring out of Taylor's beak. Josh looked nervously at Katie as if he wasn't sure if this was such a good idea. Taylor hasn't really seen Josh dance. All she knows is that he can't sing no matter how hard he tries. After a moment, Josh turned toward Taylor, and steadily, the sound of his feet clicking rose. Tap. T-tap. T-t-t-tap t-tap. T-t-tap tap tap tap sh tap. Tap tap t-t-tap. ''As Josh proceded with his little jig, Taylor's look of confusion was replaced with interest. Josh saw this change in her too, as he grew more confident, his taps growing louder as he stamped his feet against the ground, and a smile spread across his beak. ''T-tap t-tap tap t-t-tap. Tap t-t-tap. Tap t-t-tap tap. Shshshshshsh tap tap. T-t-t-t-tap tap t-tap. He came to a stop when Taylor finally gave a little smile, mesmerized by the beat coming from Joshua's feet. Then, she looked over at Katie. "Can you do that?" Taylor asked, her voice quiet in awe. Katie puffed out her chest a bit, and smiled, unbelievably happy that Taylor actually saw this as fun. Without saying a word, she began to dance. Tap tap t-tap click tap t-tap. Click tap. ''Within seconds of her dancing, Joshua joined her, copying her exact movements. ''Tap tap t-tap click t-tap tap t-t-tap c-click t-tap tap shsh tap click. C-click sh click tap t-tap tap. '' Taylor looked at Katie and Josh in amazement. Katie had her own amazement, astounded at the fact that Taylor hadn't asked how long they've been meeting to dance together. Instead, she just looked at Josh. "How do you do that?" she asked. Josh glanced at Katie. "It's pretty easy," he simply said. "You just start with one, and let that grow until you've got a beat." Once more, he began to dance. ''T-tap tap shshshsh t-tap t-tap tap. T-t-tap tap. '' Enchanted at the prospect of dancing, Taylor slowly began to copy Joshua as Katie joined in on the beat too. ''T-tap tap shshshsh t-tap t-tap tap. Tap t-tap tap. Shshsh click t-tap tap. T-tap tap click c-click click. Tap t-tap. Tap t-tap. Shshsh t-tap tap. T-t-tap tap. ''As the three penguins danced together, Katie felt her heart begin to beat faster, and she knew that this was just the beginning of something new in the Emperor Kingdom, something that would soon spread to the rest of the penguins. But for now, she just let pure happiness run through her. ''Shsh t-t-tap tap tap c-c-c-click. Shsh tap tap. T-t-t-tap. C-c-click tap t-t-t-tap. T-t-tap tap t-t-tap tap click. ''Katie and Josh stopped when they saw Taylor begin to dance as if she was having the time of her life, and they watched her in amusement as she spun around in circles, dancing her feet off. ''Tap tap t-t-tap tap t-t-tap. T-tap click shshshshshsh tap tap shshshsh tap t-t-t-t-t-t-tap. ''Taylor's foot slammed into the ground, and she stopped with the biggest smile on her beak, panting to catch her breath. For a moment, the three penguins looked at one another, trying to catch their breath. The snow around them was scattered with little trails criss-crossing through it, created by their feet. After a while, Taylor's eyes widened, and she finally spoke. "I've got an idea. I'll be right back!" Spinning around, she made her way to the cliff's edge, and began to descend. Katie's heart raced when she realized what Taylor was doing. "Wait, Taylor!" she called out. "I don't think bringing more penguins is a good idea." "Don't worry! We can trust them!" Taylor called back before disappearing down the trail, just before Katie could deny her decision. She sighed, wondering why Taylor had to be so stubborn. Katie and Josh waited nervously on the cliff, left to wonder who exactly Taylor was bringing. Adam of course would easily get here unnoticed, but was Taylor seriously thinking about Mike, and his group? ''Seven penguins climbing up a wall all at once are bound to get caught, Katie thought nervously. To put the worries out of their minds, she, and Josh began to dance once more, grooving to their own beat. When Josh and Katie finally stopped dancing to take a break was when Katie could hear someone climbing up the trail. Turning around, she saw Taylor arrive as she hopped up onto cliff, and waddled toward Josh and Katie. Seconds later, a second penguin appeared over the edge of the cliff, looking exhausted from the climb. It was Adam; Katie recognized him by his unusual amount of fluff, which made him look like a walking fuzzball. Adam looked at the other three penguins in confusion. "What's going on?" he asked curiously. Before anybody could answer his question, more footsteps could be heard coming up the trail. A moment later, Mike was standing beside Adam, but instead of confused, he looked upset. "Yeah, what is going on?" he demanded. "What is so important that I have to climb a stupid cliff?" Katie sighed in relief, glad that Mike wasn't upset at anybody, just the fact that he had to climb the cliff. "I'll explain everything when the others get here," she said, knowing that Mike's friends would arrive soon. Sure enough, the next to arrive was Andrew, easily recognized by his small size, and his dark fluff. Of course, no one answered his question as to what was going on. After a few minutes, Eugene, the biggest of his group, appeared, and joined the others, saying that Greg and Matthew would be coming soon. Eventually, everyone was gathered on the cliff, making a total of nine penguins gathered together. Katie grew nervous at the sight of a large group. Let's hope all goes smoothly, she thought hopefully. "Now, can someone tell me what's going on?" Mike demanded once more. "Yeah," Andrew agreed. Katie's heart was pounding as everyone turned their eyes on her, and Josh. Was this really a good idea? Katie wondered as doubt began to run through her. She shared a nervous glance with Josh before finally meeting the gazes of everyone else. "We wanted to show you something," she said, glancing at Joshua once more. Mike, Adam, and everyone else shared confused looks with one another. "What is it?" Eugene asked. "Um..." Katie's response was cut off as Josh suddenly began to dance once more, his feet sending flakes of snow into the air. T-t-t-t-t-tap tap t-t-t-t-t-tap tap. T-t-tap tap t-t-tap tap t-t-tap tap. Shshshshshsh tap tap. Click c-click tap sh tap t-tap tap click c-click click. "I've seen you do that before," Mike suddenly said, bringing Josh to a stop. "You were with Mrs. Kjellberg a couple of weeks ago. She was trying to get you to sing, but you chose to do that instead." "I remember that," Eugene said. "We all saw you." "Yeah," Greg agreed. Katie's spirits lifted as she saw him lift his foot, and play a little beat. Tap t-t-t-t-tap tap. Matthew seemed eager to do so as well, but hesitated, and just did a single click. Mike's eyes were bright with interest. "And I'm gonna guess that you can do it as well," he said, looking at Katie. "I can do it too!" Taylor exclaimed, and demostrated with several little taps. Adam watched her with a look of interest in his eyes. "How do you do that?" Andrew asked eagerly. Joshua looked at Katie with an amazed look in his bright brown eyes. Katie was just as surprised. She never imagined that this many penguins would want to dance with them. "You just... feel the beat," Joshua explained. Before he could start to dance, Adam began to click his feet against the ice as did Eugene, each one creating their own beats, but they quickly came to a stop as if they weren't sure if they were doing it right. Suddenly, Katie had an idea. "It sounds really great when you sing something that matches the beat," she told everyone, remembering the multiple songs she's sang as she danced with Josh. "Any song?" Matthew asked, his voice showing his interest. "Yeah!" Katie exclaimed. She waddled over to Adam, and stood beside him. "You just start with a beat, and let it grow from there." She began to dance. T-t-tap tap click t-tap tap t-t-tap tap. T-tap tap t-tap tap. Adam slowly began to feel the beat, and danced alongside her. Katie watched as his feet began to stamp against the ground, following the beat that Katie was creating. T-t-tap tap click t-tap tap t-t-tap tap. Tap t-tap tap t-t-tap tap. Taylor began to join them, dancing from where she stood beside Joshua, but after a moment, they brought their jig to an end. "Okay, but what are we going to sing?" Matthew asked. Katie shrugged. They didn't want to sing their Heartsong now. They were saving it for a special occassion, but today wasn't that occassion. As far as Katie knew, they haven't sang anything else ever since that day in class when Ms. Lily denied their shared Heartsong. Silence fell on the group as if they suddenly had no idea what they were going to do. Doubt began to fill up inside Katie once more as everyone looked at each other, wondering what to do. Then, the silence was broken by a faint beat coming from Joshua's feet clicking against the icy ground. T-t-tap t-tap t-t-t-tap tap. T-t-tap t-tap t-t-t-tap tap. '' Smiling, Katie added to the beat, and they created music once more. ''T-t-t-t-tap t-tap t-tap t-t-tap tap. T-t-tap t-tap t-t-t-t-tap tap. T-t-tap t-tap t-t-t-t-tap tap. T-tap t-tap t-t-tap tap. As the beat grew louder, Andrew began to bob his head slowly to the beat while Eugene and Matthew swayed their hips, and lifted their flippers a little bit. Mike watched Katie as she danced, his eyes curious, and a smile on his beak. Then, he took a deep breath, and a song rose into the air. '' "Well, Hell sees her shadow in by back seat,'' '' And her friends are standing right in front of me.'' '' Worldwide from the Cimmaron to Turkey.'' '' Open up, said everybody loves me.'' '' And you don't have to make a sound,'' '' 'Cause they've got what you need.'' '' What you need.'' '' Oh-ohh-oh-oh-ohh."'' As if a silent signal passed through them, Mike's friends group together in a triangular formation with Andrew and Eugene on Mike's left side, and Greg and Matthew on his right. Katie remembered seeing them standing like this at school when they first sang. As they grouped together, Katie found herself moving into formation, standing beside Greg while Adam stood behind her, closer to Matthew. Josh stood beside Andrew while Taylor danced next to Eugene. While Taylor and Adam joined in on Katie and Joshua's beat, Matthew, Greg, Andrew, and Eugene added to it by creating a slight shuffling sound, and raising their voices in a rhythmic hum that matched perfectly with the beat, and Mike's singing, who began to stamp his feet to the music. In rhythm with one another, the group of penguins began to dance across the ice. '' "Got love for the people that have warned you.'' '' God love all your sentimental virtue. '' '' Eight balls with the takers that'll make you.'' Lay cards with the lovers that'll hate you. '' And you don't have to make a sound.'' They got what you need. What you need." Suddenly, as if yet another silent signal passed through them, Greg and Andrew began to sing with Mike while Matthew and Andrew continued to hum. "Make you say 'Oh my! '' Feels just like I don't try!'' '' Looks so good, I might die!'' '' All I know is everybody loves me.'' '' Head down.'' '' Swayin' to my own sound!'' '' Flashes in my face now!'' '' All I know is everybody loves me.'' '' Everybody loves me!'"'' Then, everything reversed, and Mike's friends were humming, and shuffling together once more, leaving Mike to continue singing alone, and this pattern continued for the rest of the song. '' "Well I pray the music don't stop till I turn gray.'' '' Stars forever like John Sousa never fade.'' '' He had a beautiful child. Named her Desiree. '' '' Hope I'm remembered for the things that I never made.'' '' 'Cause you don't have to make a sound'' '' When they got what you need."'' As the chorus hit once more, Katie, Adam, and Taylor all rose their voices, singing along with Greg, Andrew, and Mike while still keeping the beat with one another. "Make you say 'Oh my! '' Feels just like I don't try!'' '' Looks so good, I might die!'' '' All I know is everybody loves me.'' '' Head down.'' '' Swayin' to my own sound!'' '' Flashes in my face now!'' '' All I know is everybody loves me.'' '' Everybody loves me! '' '' Everybody! '' '' Everybody!'' '' Oh! Everybody!'' '' Everybody!'"'' Suddenly, everyone froze except for Greg and Andrew, who still kept a beat while Mike sang. But as he continued to sing, everyone added more, and more music, letting it grow into the chorus until it felt as if the whole world could hear them. "Don't need my health. '' Got my name, and got my wealth.'' '' I stare at the sun, just for kicks all by myself'' '' I lose track of time,'' '' So I might be past my prime,'' '' But I'm feelin' oh so good. '' '' Yeaaaah!'' '' Oh my!'' '' Feels just like I don't try!'' '' Looks so good, I might die!'' '' All I know is everybody loves me.'' '' Head down.'' '' Swayin' to my own sound!'' '' Flashes in my face now!'' '' All I know is everybody loves me.'' '' Everybody loves me!'' '' Oh, I said everybody.'' '' Everybody.'' '' Don't you know who you are?'' '' I say everybody!'' '' Everybody! '' '' Everybody!'' '' Whoaa-ohh-oh-oh-ohhh-oh-oh-ohh!"'' As Mike sang the final lyrics to the amazing song that everybody had created, he spun in circles, sending snow ito the air as if he would never stop. When he did, he faced everyone behind him, his eyes wide, and a smile on his beak. "That was amazing!" he exclaimed. Everyone in his group, and Adam cheered in agreement. "Josh, you are a very talented penguin!" Mike praised Josh, who looked shyly away. "Talented for a penguin who can't sing!" Eugene agreed, but put his flipper over his beak when he realized what he had said. Katie froze, expecting Josh to sulk away, but instead, he looked around at everyone in amazement. "Thank you," he said. "We should do this more often!" Mike suggested. "Just us. No one else. But maybe one day, we can show everyone the amazingness of dancing!" "It'll be spectac-you-lar!" Josh exclaimed in agreement, jumping into the air with excitement. Katie looked around at everyone gathered around in her in astonishment. She never imagined that everybody would be this psyched about dancing, but she was wrong. They loved it! If there was word that described more that loving something, that's would everyone would be like. As she stood there, catching her breath, she once again wondered if it was possible to spread this across the entire kingdom, if it was possible to give everyone happy feet. Category:Fanon Stuff Category:Fan-Fictions Category:Chapters